Digital Cinema Initiatives

ABOUT DCI

Digital Cinema Initiatives, LLC (DCI) was created in March, 2002, and is a joint venture of Disney, Fox, Paramount, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal and Warner Bros. Studios. DCI's primary purpose is to establish and document voluntary specifications for an open architecture for digital cinema that ensures a uniform and high level of technical performance, reliability and quality control.

For 3D presentations utilizing legacy lamp technology, the peak white luminance should be 24 cd/m2 ± 6.9 cd/m2 (7 fL ± 2 fL) measured at the center of the screen through all filters and lenses, i.e., light level to the eye. Relative luminance uniformity should be consistent with current SMPTE specifications.

Given the increased light level capabilities of 3D RGB laser illuminated projectors and multi-projector installations, peak white luminance for such projection systems should be 48 cd/m2 ± 6.9 cd/m2 (14 fL ± 2 fL) measured at the center of the screen through all filters and lenses, i.e., light level to the eye. Relative luminance uniformity should be consistent with current SMPTE specifications.

Having passed the CTP in its current form, DCI is now listing some laser-illuminated projection systems as
compliant. However, DCI has not performed a comprehensive assessment, similar to original system testing, of
the imagery of laser systems on various available screen types. Additionally, the possibility exists for anomalies
in the projected image. DCI is taking steps to add new image tests to future versions of the CTP. In the interim,
DCI encourages consultation with industry experts to ensure a thorough understanding of the issues and limits,
if any, with laser-based systems.

DCI Initiatives 9 July 2014

Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) provides detail on three of its efforts in the areas of new projection light sources, 3D subtitle rendering and standardized audio formats that are intended to ensure interoperability of distribution packages.

The existing DCI Digital Cinema System Specification (DCSS) security architecture is based on a single Image Media Block (IMB) per projector per auditorium. This is an introduction to an alternative to the current model referred to as the Multiple Media Block (MMB) architecture.

MMB operation enables multiple Media Blocks (MB), each containing a Security Manager (SM), to be used in DCSS compliant projection booths. A new MB type - the Outboard MB (OMB) - is defined for use in MMB configurations.

The Digital Cinema System Specification (DCSS) defines a projection booth architectural model centered on a single Security Manager (SM) contained within a single Media Block (MB) specified as the Image Media Block (IMB).

DCI recently issued the Digital Cinema Object-Based Audio Addendum, providing basic requirements for how this new essence type can be accommodated within DCI compliant architectures.

This document is a response to industry inquiries regarding the OBAE Addendum and the need to enable efficient implementations while preserving the fundamental architectural tenants important to maintaining security.

Object-based audio formats that utilize new methods for delivering audio essence to the theater have come to market. This document is a specification for packaging, distribution and theatrical playback of object-based motion picture D-Cinema audio content that exceeds the delivery capability of the Digital Cinema Package (DCP) audio track file as defined in DCI's Digital Cinema System Specification (DCSS).

This specification provides requirements that will assure interoperability of object-based audio content while maintaining the current DCSS compliant architecture and KDM structure, recognizing that the D-Cinema industry is necessarily constrained by an existing installed base of equipment.